Cell Biology
Bringing signaling complexity into focus
A study in mice reveals key interactions between proteins involved in fibroblast growth factor signaling and how they contribute to distinct stages of eye lens development.
Cell Biology
Transcriptome profiling of tendon fibroblasts at the onset of embryonic muscle contraction reveals novel force-responsive genes
Mechanical forces play a critical role in tendon development and function, influencing cell behavior through mechanotransduction signaling pathways and subsequent extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Here we investigate the molecular mechanisms by wh…
Cell Biology
Revisiting the rete ovarii
Long thought to have little relevance to ovarian physiology, the rete ovarii may have a role in follicular dynamics and reproductive health.
Cell Biology
Rediscovering the <i>rete ovarii</i>, a secreting auxiliary structure to the ovary
The rete ovarii (RO) is an appendage of the ovary that has been given little attention. Although the RO appears in drawings of the ovary in early versions of Gray’s Anatomy, it disappeared from recent textbooks, and is often dismissed as a functionless…
Cell Biology
Endosomal-lysosomal organellar assembly (ELYSA) structures coordinate lysosomal degradation systems through mammalian oocyte-to-embryo transition
Mouse oocytes undergo drastic changes in organellar composition and their activities during maturation from the germinal vesicle (GV) to metaphase II (MII) stage. After fertilization, the embryo degrades parts of the maternal components via lysosomal d…
Cell Biology
Ciliary length regulation by intraflagellar transport in zebrafish
How cells regulate the size of their organelles remains a fundamental question in cell biology. Cilia, with their simple structure and surface localization, provide an ideal model for investigating organelle size control. However, most studies on cilia…
Cell Biology
The exocyst complex controls multiple events in the pathway of regulated exocytosis
Eukaryotic cells depend on exocytosis to direct intracellularly synthesized material toward the extracellular space or the plasma membrane, so exocytosis constitutes a basic function for cellular homeostasis and communication between cells. The secreto…
Cell Biology
The sperm hook as a functional adaptation for migration and self-organized behavior
In most murine species, spermatozoa exhibit a falciform apical hook at the head end. The function of the sperm hook is not yet clearly understood. In this study, we investigate the role of the sperm hook in the migration of spermatozoa through the fema…
Cell Biology
Formation of multinucleated osteoclasts depends on an oxidized species of cell surface-associated La protein
The bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts plays a critical role in the life-long remodeling of our bones that is perturbed in many bone loss diseases. Multinucleated osteoclasts are formed by the fusion of precursor cells, and larger cells – generated…
Cell Biology
Limited column formation in the embryonic growth plate implies divergent growth mechanisms during pre- and postnatal bone development
Chondrocyte columns, which are a hallmark of growth plate architecture, play a central role in bone elongation. Columns are formed by clonal expansion following rotation of the division plane, resulting in a stack of cells oriented parallel to the grow…